, 1887-10-01
THE ENCAMPMENT.
The Rank and File Return to
Their Homes.
Discussion on the Vetoed Pen
sion Bills.
Judge Rae Elected Commander
in-Chief.
The Encampment.

ST.. LOUIS. Sept. 30.-This afternoon
the evacuation of the city by the rank and
tile OF the e.. A K. was complete, except
In the case of Cadfurnians. They were
still quartered In the ar.nory near their
stores OF delicious fruits, which on Satur.
day night are TO be given away to the
public. Already tens of thousands of
people have filed down the aisles of fruit
between the six tables, each 200 feet
long. The main interest. however, is
centered in the election of commander.
Gen. Slocum, who has been so promi
nently mentioned for the office, was at
Exposition ball mingllng with delegates.
Maj Warner, also a candidate, was max
ing no personal effort, but leaving the
canvass to his friends. The committee
on resolutions reported back the resolu
ton offered by Vaudervoort in regard to
the veto of the dependent pension till
and the pension to Mrs. Logan. The
committee recommended the adoption of
the part that referred to Mrs. Logan 8
pension and the rejection of the balance.
That portion of Vandvoort's resolution
which was reported adversely upon is in
three sections, which state in substance
that while no body of citizens can have
a more exalted respect for the office of
the president of the United States than
We, yet this does not obscure our right
to blame the unworthy acts of the in
cumbent of that high position or deprive
us of the right of criticism; that while we
recognize that disapproval of any measure
in his constitutional ~prerogatlve, we can
not feel that this involves also the privi-
lege OF going beyond the bounds of that
power TO officially insult or SANDER broken
down and needy men to whom the nation
owe everything" The last resolution
states at length that in vetoing the de
pendent pension bill, which was the least
measure OF Justice that could have been
asked and did not represent a 1.-THE of
what is due these galIent men, the presi
dent has violated a pledge made to
soldiers when they iocked to aid their
country at the time OF her greatest peril,
has thwarted the express will of a grata-
full people and inflicted irreparable cruelty
upon those who should be the objects of
her tenderest consideration. The bill
would have rescued thousands of deserv
ing soldiers from the charity of the aims
house.
After the report ofthe committee was
made, NaldvooIt opened debate on the
matter, claiming that the Grand Army
should have the courage of its convlc.
ions and vote as they felt on this ques.
ton. Grosvenor, OF Ohio. spoke in favor
of the report aud said he had as much
feeling upon the pension question as any
other man, but he stood as the representa-
tive of a body of men greater than the
president of the United States-greater
han the congress of the United States,
and more dignitied in their utterances
han the president had shown himself to
he Ha said rho uuaStinD uaS mora inn
portant than any other that had been sub
mitted. and that question was what the
e~ncampment ought 10 do Whether it
ought to make platforms Tor political
parties, or state in a personal and in a
dlgnitied manner as though there never
had been a president ofthe United States
The Grand Army should stand as a
mountain stands upon the plain regard
less OF the coyotes at the foot of 1t, pro-
claiming In MAZE site words that it was in
favor Ut this pension legislation and CD
posed to every attack upon the interests
of the soldiers.
After some further debate Vandvoort's
amendment was overwhelmingly defeated,
and the report of the committee adopted
by a vote OF 3lS to l73. The committee
then presented majority and minority re
ports On the 50 4 month, or service pen
sion bill. The majority report is against
1t and the minority in its favor.
A committee was appointed to get up a
testimonial to present 10 Commander in
Chief Fairchild. In the election of off
GERS the following were nominated Tor
commander in chief for the ensuing year:
Gen Slocum, Gen, Rae. Gen. Anthony
and Gen. Grier. Slocum received 1873,
Anthony &c. Grier lS and Rae 294.
Sherman received | and Warner, of Mis-
souri,, |. Rae was declared elected. He
was escorted to the platform by the DE-
feated candidates Anthony and Grier,
and returned thanks to the pment.
The rules we're then suspended and
Nelson Cole, Of Missouri, was elected
senior vice commander Junior vice
commander, John G. Linahan. of New
Hampshire Gen. Lawrence Donahue
was elected sergeant general. and Rev.
Edward Anderson was elected chaplain
in chief.
When the committee on rules and reg
~ulations submitted their report, a propo.
sition to enable a class of persons to enter
the order who had served in the field, but
who had never been mustered into the
service, was defeated.
The committee on the Logan monu-
ment reported, and recommended that a
fund be provided for the erection of an
equestrienne statue at Washington. Gov
ernor Alger subscribed 81 900 and Geo.
G. Lemon, Of New York, 81 600. The
newly elected officers were then duly IN
stalled.